Union University News

Prayer life the primary indicator of spiritual health, Gaines says

Steve Gaines preaches in a Sept. 7 chapel service at Union. (Photo by Jacob Moore)

JACKSON, Tenn. – Sept. 8, 2011 – A Christian’s prayer life is a barometer of his or her walk with Jesus Christ, Steve Gaines told Union University students Sept. 7.

“Doctrine is important, but you can have great doctrine,” said Gaines, senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn. “You can be as straight as a gun barrel in doctrine and be as empty as a gun barrel on the inside.”

Gaines spoke in a chapel service in the G.M. Savage Memorial Chapel, encouraging students to devote themselves to prayer as the early church did in the book of Acts. He also provided examples of how Jesus emphasized prayer in his ministry.

“Why would you want to go to heaven and be with God forever if you can’t handle spending an hour with him a day on this earth?” Gaines asked. “You’re going to have to learn how to pray before you really enjoy the Christian life and before you really experience all that God has for you.”